I'm moving into a house, built in 1960s, and the phone jacks look all crazy like. (I'll attach a pic)
Anyone familiar with it? I use DSL and need to know what to do with that thing! Re-wire, adapters available, change to CLEAR...
I called my DSL provider's technical support but they had no idea what I was talking about.
The only thing I was able to find was a short blurb and image on Wikipedia: "For example Bell System companies in the 1960s used a round plug about 40mm in diameter with four prongs about 15mm apart. National connectors remain in service but few are used for new installations." Image of an adapter here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:4prongplug.JPG
Anyone have any advice/help/expertise?
Aug 26th, '09, 19:26
Posts: 511
Joined: Dec 26th, '08, 18:21
Scrolling: scrolling
Location: Atlanta, GA
Contact:
bsteele
Aug 26th, '09, 19:29
Posts: 20891
Joined: Apr 22nd, '06, 20:52
Scrolling: scrolling
Location: Back in the TeaCave atop Mt. Fuji
Re: 1960's Bell Systems phone jack?!
The wires should be color coded. Get a modular jack and follow the easy instructions.
Otherwise, run a new wire into your house, but you will still need the modular jack.
So easy, even a caveman (atop Mt. Fuji) can do it.
Otherwise, run a new wire into your house, but you will still need the modular jack.
So easy, even a caveman (atop Mt. Fuji) can do it.
Aug 26th, '09, 19:37
Posts: 511
Joined: Dec 26th, '08, 18:21
Scrolling: scrolling
Location: Atlanta, GA
Contact:
bsteele
Re: 1960's Bell Systems phone jack?!
Hmmm sounds like a fun project. Glad to know it can be taken care of easily!
Thanks for the reply.
Thanks for the reply.
Re: 1960's Bell Systems phone jack?!
I nearly spit my tea onto my keyboard when I saw that phone jack and started to laugh before I had swallowed completely!!
I ran into this problem in temp living quarters a few month back. The owner hadn't had a land line for phone service for 22 years. The jacks looked strange and wouldn't carry a digital signal.
According to the phone company, they are responsible for making sure that you have compliant wiring running to the outside phone box (EID). The wiring within the home is much less of a problem - according to my buddy who has been a crackerjack phone repair guy for QWest for 25 years, and I quote... " you can carry a DSL signal on a coat hanger as long as you got proper termination" LOL!
I ran a 100' run of telephone cord purchased as preterminated (has jacks at both ends), from the antiquated box on the outside of the house through a foundation vent, under the floor via crawlspace to a location close to my computer (small hole dripped up through subflooring and carpet was undetectable, puttied to prevent critters entering after the wiring was passed through).
The phone company checked to make sure that the there was compliant wiring from the outside phone box to the nearest pole. The phone lines to the house has to have the right switches activated at the nearest pole panel (end of block) and the next nearest large junction switching box (several blocks away) to be activated by the phone company to carry the DSL signal - that's their problem, not yours.
Make sure the idiots at the phone company have the proper switches activated for your level of DSL signal. I nearly had to pay a hundred buck service charge because we couldn't figure out why my DSL signal wasn't getting through, despite proper 'handshake' protocol getting out from my modem to the phone company DSL service center. Turns out they had the full bells and whistles level (10MB) activated, but I ordered the medium service (5MB), so the modulation switches weren't set right at the hub several blocks away.
Grrrr.
I ran into this problem in temp living quarters a few month back. The owner hadn't had a land line for phone service for 22 years. The jacks looked strange and wouldn't carry a digital signal.
According to the phone company, they are responsible for making sure that you have compliant wiring running to the outside phone box (EID). The wiring within the home is much less of a problem - according to my buddy who has been a crackerjack phone repair guy for QWest for 25 years, and I quote... " you can carry a DSL signal on a coat hanger as long as you got proper termination" LOL!
I ran a 100' run of telephone cord purchased as preterminated (has jacks at both ends), from the antiquated box on the outside of the house through a foundation vent, under the floor via crawlspace to a location close to my computer (small hole dripped up through subflooring and carpet was undetectable, puttied to prevent critters entering after the wiring was passed through).
The phone company checked to make sure that the there was compliant wiring from the outside phone box to the nearest pole. The phone lines to the house has to have the right switches activated at the nearest pole panel (end of block) and the next nearest large junction switching box (several blocks away) to be activated by the phone company to carry the DSL signal - that's their problem, not yours.
Make sure the idiots at the phone company have the proper switches activated for your level of DSL signal. I nearly had to pay a hundred buck service charge because we couldn't figure out why my DSL signal wasn't getting through, despite proper 'handshake' protocol getting out from my modem to the phone company DSL service center. Turns out they had the full bells and whistles level (10MB) activated, but I ordered the medium service (5MB), so the modulation switches weren't set right at the hub several blocks away.
Grrrr.